A healthy super-bowl snack

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love traditional tailgate food. Mostly because it always includes something barbecued and something bacon. With all of those recipes floating around this time of year, I thought I'd throw something in the mix for my gluten-free/more health conscious friends. This recipe might seem like an odd pairing but I promise you- it is delicious.

The original idea for this recipe stems from something that was made at one of my wedding showers. Made by Ben's aunt, the Mango Caprese Salad was a hit and something I've made many times since. Though, over time it has evolved in presentation. When I make it to take to work for lunch, I generally cube the cheese and mango and toss it in the dressing. Recently, for a holiday party over at Lilly Lane, I decided to put a twist on the recipe to make it group friendly (read: less likely to spread germs).

What you need to make roughly 2 dozen skewers:
2 Ripe Mangoes
24 oz. Fresh Mozarella

Dressing:
1/2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 C. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 C. Fresh basil, julienne sliced

The plan:
Chop your mangoes and mozarella into roughly 1x1 inch cubes. Alternate four cubes of each on a skewer. Mix all ingredients for the dressing and then pour over top the skewers. It's that easy.

In the photo above I ran short on fresh basil and had to use dried which was fine but not ideal. With fresh basil, you could even incorporate it into the alternation of cheese and mango. Either way you dress it up, this recipe is delicious and you should give it a try!

Tailgate Lessons

This past weekend was one of my favorite of the year, Butler's Homecoming! It's one of those weekends that I always look forward to because for a couple days friends near and far get to relive a little bit of our time in college.

Unlike previous years, Butler played an evening game which gave us a little more time to prepare/sleep in which really paid off. As a group, we decided it was the best tailgate yet and upon some reflection, here are the top 5 reasons I think it went so smoothly.

#5- Get on board with your school's planned opportunities. The last few years we tried to find a tailgate spot on our own, after promising each other we would get up early enough and be ready to go. The result- we were always super late and unprepared. This year, we bought a spot provided by the Alumni Board which included a tent, covered table, and a sign with your name of choice. All we had to do was bring the party.

#4- Bring some props. My friend Luke, who is one of the most creative and fun people in the entire world, brought this awesome frame that he spray painted and personalized. It was a huge hit not just for our group, but the people around us. It served as a great conversation starter and made for some amazing photos too!

#3- Grills are not just for hot dogs and burgers. Sure, we grilled our fair share of hot dogs after a long day of drinking but the best thing that came off of the grill that day was the steak and black bean chili Ben made. He made everything before we left and then during the day just put the dutch oven on the grill to keep it warm. It worked perfectly and kept our chili hot until the last bite was gone. We also brought sour cream, shredded cheese and bacon to garnish.

#2- Bring enough to share. Seriously. Nothing makes more friends than sharing food and beverages. Spread the happiness.

#1- Invest in a Jammy Pack. What's a Jammy Pack? It was the true star of our day next to these guys. Battery operated and quite loud for a set of wearable speakers, this thing is totally worth every penny. My sister, being the genius she is, bought one off of a deal-of-the-day site and it has served us all. She's used it while running 5k's, we used it this weekend, and I can think of about ten other places it would come in handy. A worthy investment indeed. Look how serious I am about it:

What a weekend. Great food and some of the most incredible friends a girl could ask for. Here's to homecomings everywhere! Hope you've enjoyed some tailgates of your own!